Moving to Forrest ACT 2603
What the official numbers say about living in Forrest — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $570 a week, against a median household income of $3,363 a week.
About 67% of homes are owner-occupied and 31% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the apartment.
Who you'll be living with
Forrest grew 25% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (1,467 → 1,827 people).
Around 67% of households are families, averaging 2.2 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, India, China; most spoken languages besides English: Mandarin, Italian, Greek.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Forrest sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (58% of workers), while 20% work from home.
Nearest train station: Canberra, 2 km east.
Nearest light rail stop: Alinga Street, 4.3 km north.
Nearest bus interchange: Canberra Civic Coach Stop, 4.2 km north.
Nearest airport: Canberra Airport, 6.2 km east.
The Canberra CBD is roughly 4 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 27 schools · 113 cafes & restaurants · 8 supermarkets · 31 parks — see them all on the Forrest profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Forrest Primary 300 m · Telopea Park School 650 m · Music Centre 1.2 km · Canberra Girls Grammar School 1.2 km · Red Hill Primary - Pre-School 1.6 km · Canberra Grammar School 1.7 km · St Edmund's College 1.7 km · St Bede's Primary School 2.5 km
Groceries: Coles 750 m · Supabarn 1.3 km · IGA Deakin 1.8 km · Organic Energy 1.9 km · Griffith Grocer 1.9 km · Supa Express 2.8 km · IGA 2.9 km · Narrabundah IGA 3 km
Parks and reserves: Collins Park 500 m · Formal Gardens 800 m · Bass Gardens park 1000 m · Telopea Park 1000 m · Griffith Park 1 km · York Park 1.1 km · Surveyors Park 1.4 km · Latrobe Park 1.4 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Forrest, most often seen first: Australian Magpie · Magpie-lark · Pied Currawong · Superb Fairy-wren · Red Wattlebird · Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Forrest, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forrest here | 1,827 | — | 10/10 | 10% |
| Barton | 1,946 | — | 10/10 | 10% |
| Griffith | 5,328 | — | 10/10 | 7% |
| Kingston | 6,579 | — | 10/10 | 5% |
| Red Hill | 3,146 | — | 10/10 | 20% |
| Deakin | 3,124 | — | 10/10 | 14% |
| Narrabundah | 6,455 | — | 10/10 | 8% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Unincorporated ACT — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Canberra — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2603 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Forrest profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $570 a week, and about 31% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 25% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 1,467 people to 1,827. It sits about 4 km from the Canberra CBD in a straight line, and Canberra station is roughly 2 km away. Local government is Unincorporated ACT council, and the federal seat is Canberra.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Forrest vs Barton · Forrest vs Griffith.
Nearby guides: Barton · Griffith · Kingston · Red Hill · Deakin · Narrabundah.
Keep an eye on Forrest
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